Our History

The original organization was called "The Public Access TV Interest Group", founded by the first chairman of BVCTV, George Phillips. A group of 10 individuals met for the first time on February 9, 1981, and was briefed on the activities of a TV station by a member of the Fayetteville Open Channel 2.

The first show was produced on October 23, 1981. Not many of the original group are still around, but we do have some of the "old timers" still active. By July 7, 1982, a Certification of Incorporation as a non-profit association was issued by the State of Arkansas, and the By-Laws were drawn. With the support of Village Cable TV owned by John Cooper Jr., BVCTV was allotted 8 hours of cable time on Bella Vista Cable Channel 2, and the task began to build the Association in to a viable private access TV station.

In 1983, two shows were telecast on Channel 2 from the cable TV tower atop Bella Vista Heights. The equipment to produce those shows was borrowed from our volunteers and Fayetteville Open Channel 2.

The first "Video Vista News" show was produced in the living room of a member's home on January 25, 1984. Twenty-two were present to assist in the show's production. Unfortunately, a severe snow storm prevented the telecast of that show.

In May, 1984, BVCTV moved to the former Cooper laundry building by Lake Bella Vista, where we were located for just over 20 years. After the sale of Village Cable, BVCTV was initially Channel 15 and later, allocated Channel 16.

In August of 2004, the studio relocated to the Highlands Crossing Center, the former Cooper Communities headquarters.

On December 9, 2010, BVCTV was moved to Cox Channel 222. In May, 2013 we went began airing programs on Uverse Channel 99.